The decision comes at a time when no political alliance has secured a clear majority following the recent parliamentary elections. The election results have created a new wave of political uncertainty in Israel. Netanyahu, who has played an influential role in Israeli politics for nearly 19 years, is now facing the challenge of retaining power, while Eisenkot faces the difficult task of bringing parties with different political ideologies together.
However, receiving an official mandate from the president to form a government does not guarantee that Eisenkot will become prime minister. He must first secure sufficient support in parliament. This is why the latest development is being considered significant for Netanyahu's political future and the direction of Israeli politics.
What Decision Did President Isaac Herzog Make ?
Israeli President Isaac Herzog concluded consultations with representatives of political parties elected to the 26th Knesset (Israel's parliament) on November 5, 2026. In this process, the president sought to determine which leader the parties would favor in forming a government.
According to official information from the President's Office, political blocs representing a total of 67 MPs recommended Gadi Eizenkot, leader of the Yashar Party. Blocs representing 46 MPs supported current Prime Minister and Likud Party leader Benjamin Netanyahu. One political bloc did not recommend any candidate.
President Herzog also clarified that it is not enough to make a decision based solely on the number of recommendations. According to him, the president's constitutional responsibility is to assess which MPs actually have the capacity to form and maintain a stable government.
On November 7th, the President's office announced that Herzog had decided to entrust Eisenkot with the responsibility of forming a government. He was scheduled to formally hand over the responsibility at 5 p.m. on November 8th at the Presidential Palace in Jerusalem. Therefore, until the morning of November 8th, this should be understood as the President's decision and formal schedule, not as the formation of a new government.
Who got how many seats in the October elections ?
General elections for the 26th Knesset were held in Israel on October 27, 2026. The country's parliament consists of 120 members. Any political party or coalition needs at least 61 seats to secure a majority.
According to the final election results available on the official website of the Israeli Parliament, the major parties won the following seats:
- Likud Party (Benjamin Netanyahu): 27 seats.
- Yashar Party (Gadi Eizenkot): 21 seats.
- Beyahad: 12 seats.
- Joint List: 11 seats.
- Democrats: 8 seats.
- United Arab List (Raam): 8 seats.
- Yisrael Beitenu: 7 seats.
- Otzma Yehudit: 7 seats.
- United Torah Judaism Party: 7 seats.
- Government: 6 seats.
- Religious Zionism and Zehut: 6 seats.
These results clearly show that Likud emerged as the largest party with 27 seats, while Eisenkot's Yashar party won 21. However, being the largest party and having a majority to form a government are two different things. Neither party, along with its allies, had the clear and unquestionable support of 61 seats.
Why has the political challenge increased for Netanyahu ?
Benjamin Netanyahu is one of Israel's longest-serving prime ministers. His Likud party has long played a significant role in the country's politics. However, after this election, his position appears less solid than before.
The coalition he led did not secure the required parliamentary majority in the elections. On the other hand, Eisenkot's opposition coalition also lacked the required number of seats to form a government. The President was faced with the question of which leader should be given the first chance to form a government.
In the presidential consultation process, Eisenkot received the recommendation of factions representing 67 MPs, while Netanyahu received the support of factions representing 46 MPs. This political situation played a key role in giving Eisenkot the opportunity to make his first attempt at forming a government.
However, this does not mean that Netanyahu's political role is over. If Eisenkot fails to form a government, another MP, including Netanyahu, could have the opportunity under constitutional procedure.
Why did Arab parties become kingmakers ?
The most interesting aspect of this entire development is the role of Israel's Arab political parties. Two major political forces affiliated with the Arab community have secured significant seats in this election.
The Joint List won 11 seats, while the United Arab List (RAAM) won eight. Together, they have a total of 19 seats, a number that could be crucial for any coalition attempting to form a government.
During consultations with the president, these Arab political parties recommended Eisenkot to form a government. Their support strengthened Eisenkot's political position.
However, recommending a candidate to form a government is not the same as joining their cabinet. The form of support from Arab parties will depend on ongoing political negotiations and potential agreements.
Coalitions with Arab parties have long been a controversial topic in Israeli politics. In 2021, the Ra'am Party became part of the coalition government of Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid. This was the first time in Israeli history that an independent Arab party had participated in such a coalition government.
This time too, the support of Arab parties could prove decisive, but some of Eisenkot's own potential allies object to such a political compromise.
What are the options before Gadi Eisenkot ?
Gadi Eizenkot's biggest challenge is to garner the support of 61 MPs, and he has several political options to achieve this.
The first option is to form a formal coalition with Arab parties. This could help him reach a parliamentary majority, but opposition from some within his own coalition could make this path difficult.
Another option is to form a minority government. In this case, Arab parties could support the government in key parliamentary votes without being part of the cabinet. However, such a government would likely require outside support on every important bill and motion of confidence.
A third option is to reach an agreement with ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties. However, Eizenkot and these parties have disagreements on issues such as compulsory military service. The issue of exempting men from military service in Israel's ultra-Orthodox community has long been a subject of political controversy.
A fourth option could be to form a national unity government with Netanyahu's Likud party. However, political and policy differences between the two leaders make this option difficult.
What did Eisenkot say ?
Following the announcement of the president's decision, Eisenkot responded on the social media platform X, saying that the time had come to form a national emergency government. He also stated that he would do everything possible to ensure he was worthy of this responsibility.
His statement suggests that he intends to try to form a government with broad support, given the current political situation. However, forging consensus on issues related to differing political ideologies and national security will be difficult.
How much time will be available to form the government ?
According to Israel's constitutional government formation process, the president-elect is normally given 28 days to form a government. The president can grant an additional 14 days if necessary. Thus, Eizenkot has a total of 42 days.
If they fail to form a government within the stipulated time, the president can assign the responsibility to another member of parliament. If government formation efforts still fail, Knesset members may have the opportunity to propose another candidate under constitutional procedure. If all efforts fail, the possibility of dissolution of parliament and the need for new elections may arise.
The current government continues to function as a caretaker government until the new government gains the confidence of Parliament and assumes office.
Why is this development important for Israeli politics ?
Gadi Eizenkot's opportunity to form a government isn't just news of a potential leadership change, it's also a sign of Israel's changing political landscape. Election results have shown that it's no longer easy for a single major party to gain power without allies.
Eisenkot faces potential support from Arab parties on one hand and divisions within his own coalition on the other. Netanyahu, meanwhile, remains the leader of the largest party and remains a possibility for a political comeback.
The most important question at the moment is whether Eisenkot will be able to bring together parties with different ideologies on a common political platform or whether Israel will once again be forced to go to the polls. The answer will only be clear from the political negotiations and parliamentary support in the coming days.
It is therefore premature to view the current developments as an immediate end to the Netanyahu government. What is certain is that the president's decision has made the prospect of a regime change in Israeli politics more serious than ever.
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